Sportshttp://wbch.com
en-usReport: Ichiro Suzuki to retire Thursday after Mariners' game in Tokyohttp://wbch.com/sports/83cc36a7a4b50ddaa887d3f29d17c98f
Thu, 21 Mar 2019 10:06:00 -0500http://wbch.com/sports/83cc36a7a4b50ddaa887d3f29d17c98fMasterpress/Getty Images(TOKYO) -- Ichiro Suzuki is said to be retiring Thursday after nearly two decades in the MLB.

ESPN has confirmed that the 45-year-old right fielder told the Seattle Mariners of his plans to leave the sport after the team’s game against the Oakland Athletics in Tokyo.

Suzuki exited Thursday’s game in the eighth inning. He waved to the crowd in his native Japan, receiving a standing ovation, and hugged his teammates.

He finished the game 0-for-4, grounding out in his final at-bat.

Since making his MLB debut in 2001, Suzuki has amassed a .311 batting average with 3,089 hits, 117 home runs, 780 RBIs and 509 stolen bases.

He has been named an All-Star 10 times, won the Gold Glove award 10 times and was named both the American League MVP and Rookie of the Year in 2001.

A witness captured video of Eric Angle, 51, allegedly picking a young wrestler up by the neck and tossing him to the floor during the 2019 Pennsylvania Junior Wrestling Championships at the University of Pittsburgh on March 16.

Steve Hoover, chairperson of Pennsylvania Junior Wrestling, the organization that hosted the competition, confirmed the authenticity of the video to ABC News. He said the alleged victim is between 11 and 12 years old.

“We immediately took action and [Angle] was ejected from the building,” Hoover told ABC News in a phone interview. “Eric has no affiliation with Pennsylvania Junior Wrestling nor has he ever been employed by us.”

Hoover said junior wrestlers bring their own coaches to the competition. They are often relatives of the competitors.

Pennsylvania Junior Wrestling is cooperating with authorities, according to Hoover.

Angle was arrested by University of Pittsburgh police and charged with simple assault, according to Joe Miksch, the director of media relations at the University of Pittsburgh.

The incident happened after the young wrestler lost a match, according to ABC News affiliate WTAE-TV in Pittsburgh.

"I should have just walked away and let him get thrown out," Angle told WTAE. "Instead, I'm the one who embarrassed myself even more."

Miksch did not confirm if Angle is the brother of pro wrestler and WWE star Kurt Angle.

Kurt Angle, a Pennsylvania native, has a brother named Eric who is also a pro wrestler and has appeared on WWE programming.

]]>Tammy Fullum/iStock(PITTSBURGH) -- A wrestling coach is facing charges after he allegedly assaulted a player at a junior competition in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

A witness captured video of Eric Angle, 51, allegedly picking a young wrestler up by the neck and tossing him to the floor during the 2019 Pennsylvania Junior Wrestling Championships at the University of Pittsburgh on March 16.

Steve Hoover, chairperson of Pennsylvania Junior Wrestling, the organization that hosted the competition, confirmed the authenticity of the video to ABC News. He said the alleged victim is between 11 and 12 years old.

“We immediately took action and [Angle] was ejected from the building,” Hoover told ABC News in a phone interview. “Eric has no affiliation with Pennsylvania Junior Wrestling nor has he ever been employed by us.”

Hoover said junior wrestlers bring their own coaches to the competition. They are often relatives of the competitors.

Pennsylvania Junior Wrestling is cooperating with authorities, according to Hoover.

Angle was arrested by University of Pittsburgh police and charged with simple assault, according to Joe Miksch, the director of media relations at the University of Pittsburgh.

The incident happened after the young wrestler lost a match, according to ABC News affiliate WTAE-TV in Pittsburgh.

"I should have just walked away and let him get thrown out," Angle told WTAE. "Instead, I'm the one who embarrassed myself even more."

Miksch did not confirm if Angle is the brother of pro wrestler and WWE star Kurt Angle.

Kurt Angle, a Pennsylvania native, has a brother named Eric who is also a pro wrestler and has appeared on WWE programming.

]]>NFL player credits car cam app for catching alleged thief 'red handed'http://wbch.com/sports/e3a5d124e6f467b41186389ae3c984ad
Thu, 21 Mar 2019 07:31:00 -0500http://wbch.com/sports/e3a5d124e6f467b41186389ae3c984adABC(NEW YORK) -- When Carolina Panthers fullback Alex Armah is on the field, his main job is to fight through tackles. He didn’t expect to be doing that to a stranger breaking into his car.

The 24-year-old NFL player, who comes in at 6-foot-2, 250 pounds, recently purchased the Owl Car Cam for his Dodge Charger. It’s a cloud-based security camera with a subscription service.

The camera, which mounts on the car’s dashboard, has both inward and outward facing cameras, like similar products on the market, and connects to an app. The app alerts the user’s phone if the user’s vehicle is in a crash, dented or broken into, even if the user is not inside or nearby.

In February, Armah said he got an “instant notification” on his phone from the Owl app and when he opened it, he said he watched in real-time as a stranger broke into his car. It was all captured on video through the camera.

“I see someone in my car, and that's when the adrenaline starts running,” he said.

Armah decided to run toward his car, where he saw the alleged thief trying to leave the premises.

Authorities say people should never apprehend a suspect themselves, but Armah said the alleged suspect tried to make a run for it. He said he caught up to him and restrained him with a grappling move called the “armbar.”

With the Owl Cam, Armah not only had footage of what the suspect looked like, but he also had a video of what appeared to be the suspect breaking into his car, which Armah was able to turn over to police.

“We have the guy's picture, we have what he was doing in my car… so it's really undisputed,” Armah said. “Literally caught red-handed.”

Armah, the son of an immigrant father from Ghana, said he bought a Dodge Charger with his first NFL paycheck. That car was just broken into in December, he said, so he decided then to invest in some security.

“I mean, windows shattered, glass hanging out on my paint, scraped up my side of my car,” he said. “You just feel very violated, and I felt like it's just disgusting to see your own property like that. Something you worked hard to get. You finally get it and someone physically went through your car, tampered with your personal items. You just feel very violated.”

The alleged thief that broke into Armah’s car was arrested and charged with breaking or entering into a motor vehicle. He was released on bond and is due in court later this month.

Andy Hodge, the founder and CEO of the company, said they have received positive feedback on their camera system.

“We hear the story over and over again — where someone calls up the police and say, ‘Hey, my car got broken into, ‘Well we can't do much about that,’ 'I have video,' ‘Well the videos we get aren't very good. But then they send the video from the Owl Camera and the police say, ‘We've never seen video like this, we can see exactly who it is,” Hodge said.

Owl has been around for a couple of years and sells for $350 -- $250 for the camera and about $100 for the first year of service. Devices like Owl are part of a growing smart device market to catch would-be thieves in the act.

For Hodge, one story that has stuck with him of Owl helping a customer get out of a scary situation involved a woman who he said was named Jennifer.

“Two guys came up to her, said they had a gun,” he said. “She thought…to walk in front of the car, pulled the two of them in the range of the camera. She points at it, she says, ‘Do you really want to do this?’ And they back off. And in less than an hour, those two guys were both arrested.”

The company said they have seen people post their Owl videos on social media, using crowdsourcing to help identify alleged suspects.

“I definitely think it's going to be a huge advantage,” said Armah, who is not currently being sponsored by Owl. “[Criminals] will think twice for sure.”

Armah, Hodge and the authorities do not condone people going after alleged suspects themselves. If you see something happening with your car, call 911.

]]>ABC(NEW YORK) -- When Carolina Panthers fullback Alex Armah is on the field, his main job is to fight through tackles. He didn’t expect to be doing that to a stranger breaking into his car.

The 24-year-old NFL player, who comes in at 6-foot-2, 250 pounds, recently purchased the Owl Car Cam for his Dodge Charger. It’s a cloud-based security camera with a subscription service.

The camera, which mounts on the car’s dashboard, has both inward and outward facing cameras, like similar products on the market, and connects to an app. The app alerts the user’s phone if the user’s vehicle is in a crash, dented or broken into, even if the user is not inside or nearby.

In February, Armah said he got an “instant notification” on his phone from the Owl app and when he opened it, he said he watched in real-time as a stranger broke into his car. It was all captured on video through the camera.

“I see someone in my car, and that's when the adrenaline starts running,” he said.

Armah decided to run toward his car, where he saw the alleged thief trying to leave the premises.

Authorities say people should never apprehend a suspect themselves, but Armah said the alleged suspect tried to make a run for it. He said he caught up to him and restrained him with a grappling move called the “armbar.”

With the Owl Cam, Armah not only had footage of what the suspect looked like, but he also had a video of what appeared to be the suspect breaking into his car, which Armah was able to turn over to police.

“We have the guy's picture, we have what he was doing in my car… so it's really undisputed,” Armah said. “Literally caught red-handed.”

Armah, the son of an immigrant father from Ghana, said he bought a Dodge Charger with his first NFL paycheck. That car was just broken into in December, he said, so he decided then to invest in some security.

“I mean, windows shattered, glass hanging out on my paint, scraped up my side of my car,” he said. “You just feel very violated, and I felt like it's just disgusting to see your own property like that. Something you worked hard to get. You finally get it and someone physically went through your car, tampered with your personal items. You just feel very violated.”

The alleged thief that broke into Armah’s car was arrested and charged with breaking or entering into a motor vehicle. He was released on bond and is due in court later this month.

Andy Hodge, the founder and CEO of the company, said they have received positive feedback on their camera system.

“We hear the story over and over again — where someone calls up the police and say, ‘Hey, my car got broken into, ‘Well we can't do much about that,’ 'I have video,' ‘Well the videos we get aren't very good. But then they send the video from the Owl Camera and the police say, ‘We've never seen video like this, we can see exactly who it is,” Hodge said.

Owl has been around for a couple of years and sells for $350 -- $250 for the camera and about $100 for the first year of service. Devices like Owl are part of a growing smart device market to catch would-be thieves in the act.

For Hodge, one story that has stuck with him of Owl helping a customer get out of a scary situation involved a woman who he said was named Jennifer.

“Two guys came up to her, said they had a gun,” he said. “She thought…to walk in front of the car, pulled the two of them in the range of the camera. She points at it, she says, ‘Do you really want to do this?’ And they back off. And in less than an hour, those two guys were both arrested.”

The company said they have seen people post their Owl videos on social media, using crowdsourcing to help identify alleged suspects.

“I definitely think it's going to be a huge advantage,” said Armah, who is not currently being sponsored by Owl. “[Criminals] will think twice for sure.”

Armah, Hodge and the authorities do not condone people going after alleged suspects themselves. If you see something happening with your car, call 911.

The decision to reject the deal is consistent with Kraft's only public comment about his visits to the spa.

When his name first surfaced last month in connection with the investigation, his spokeswoman, Stacey James, said in a statement that "[w]e categorically deny that Mr. Kraft engaged in any illegal activity."

Kraft is facing two misdemeanor counts of soliciting prostitution for allegedly visiting the Orchids of Asia Day Spa in Jupiter, Florida on two occasions earlier this year and paying for sexual favors from the massage parlor’s staff.

The Patriots team owner has pleaded not guilty and opted for a non-jury trial before a judge, while assembling a powerhouse team of high-profile Florida criminal defense attorneys.

The proposed pre-trial diversion program would have required Kraft to either acknowledge guilt or admit that he would have been proven guilty at trial, according to the spokesperson for the Palm Beach County State Attorney's Office, Mike Edmondson.

While Kraft is currently facing a statutory maximum of one year in jail, if he were to have accepted the plea agreement, the misdemeanor charges would have been dropped.

As part of the statute, Kraft would have had to perform 100 hours of community service, attend a class on the dangers of prostitution and pay a $5,000 fine per count, according to Edmondson.

The deal was offered to Kraft and 24 other men charged in the case. No one has accepted the deal as of Tuesday evening.

The Wall Street Journal first reported news of a proposed deal.

None of Kraft's three primary defense attorneys immediately responded to a request for comment. A spokeswoman for the Jupiter Police Department, which conducted the investigation, referred requests for comment to the Palm Beach County State Attorney's office, which did not immediately respond to ABC News.

Even with the charges dropped, Kraft could still face discipline from the National Football League (NFL), which has a strict personal conduct policy.

The policy reads, in part, that "[i]t is not enough simply to avoid being found guilty of a crime. We are all held to a higher standard and must conduct ourselves in a way that is responsible, promotes the values of the NFL, and is lawful."

Authorities set up hidden cameras at the spa and, Jupiter Police Detective Andrew Sharp said, there's video evidence of all of the suspects participating in the alleged sexual acts.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has punished Kraft's Patriots more severely than any other franchise during his tenure, according to ESPN. He fined them $250,000, and coach Bill Belichick $500,000, for spying on an opponent's defensive signals in 2007. He fined the Patriots $1 million, stripped them of two draft choices and suspended quarterback Tom Brady as part of the 2015 "Deflategate" investigation.

News of the charges being dropped came the same day that a coalition of sexual exploitation and sex trafficking survivor networks wrote a letter calling on Goodell to investigate criminal charges against Kraft and if found to be true to strip him of ownership of the Super Bowl champions franchise, according to a letter released by the coalition on Tuesday.

“If the results of [an NFL] investigation show Mr. Kraft to have engaged in the purchase of women for sex, the NFL must banish Mr. Kraft from team ownership because men who purchase others for sex inflict inestimable amounts of human suffering on those they exploit for sex,” the letter reads, which goes on to call for the sports league to “take immediate action, rigorous measures to create a corporate and sport culture that respects others by rejecting all forms of sexual objectification, harassment, assault, and exploitation of women by owners, coaches, players, team personnel, and others associated with the NFL.”

The NFL's media representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment from ABC News.

The allegations against Kraft come three weeks after the Patriots beat the Los Angeles Rams to win the team's sixth Super Bowl title.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of Kraft's then-NFL record $175 million purchase of the Patriots in 1994.

]]>Eric Lars Bakke / ESPN Images(PALM BEACH, Fla.) -- Robert Kraft, the owner of the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots, is planning to reject a deferred prosecution agreement that would not require him to plead guilty to any charges surrounding his visits to a Florida spa in January that was under investigation for sex trafficking and prostitution, a source close to Kraft told ABC News on Wednesday.

The decision to reject the deal is consistent with Kraft's only public comment about his visits to the spa.

When his name first surfaced last month in connection with the investigation, his spokeswoman, Stacey James, said in a statement that "[w]e categorically deny that Mr. Kraft engaged in any illegal activity."

Kraft is facing two misdemeanor counts of soliciting prostitution for allegedly visiting the Orchids of Asia Day Spa in Jupiter, Florida on two occasions earlier this year and paying for sexual favors from the massage parlor’s staff.

The Patriots team owner has pleaded not guilty and opted for a non-jury trial before a judge, while assembling a powerhouse team of high-profile Florida criminal defense attorneys.

The proposed pre-trial diversion program would have required Kraft to either acknowledge guilt or admit that he would have been proven guilty at trial, according to the spokesperson for the Palm Beach County State Attorney's Office, Mike Edmondson.

While Kraft is currently facing a statutory maximum of one year in jail, if he were to have accepted the plea agreement, the misdemeanor charges would have been dropped.

As part of the statute, Kraft would have had to perform 100 hours of community service, attend a class on the dangers of prostitution and pay a $5,000 fine per count, according to Edmondson.

The deal was offered to Kraft and 24 other men charged in the case. No one has accepted the deal as of Tuesday evening.

The Wall Street Journal first reported news of a proposed deal.

None of Kraft's three primary defense attorneys immediately responded to a request for comment. A spokeswoman for the Jupiter Police Department, which conducted the investigation, referred requests for comment to the Palm Beach County State Attorney's office, which did not immediately respond to ABC News.

Even with the charges dropped, Kraft could still face discipline from the National Football League (NFL), which has a strict personal conduct policy.

The policy reads, in part, that "[i]t is not enough simply to avoid being found guilty of a crime. We are all held to a higher standard and must conduct ourselves in a way that is responsible, promotes the values of the NFL, and is lawful."

Authorities set up hidden cameras at the spa and, Jupiter Police Detective Andrew Sharp said, there's video evidence of all of the suspects participating in the alleged sexual acts.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has punished Kraft's Patriots more severely than any other franchise during his tenure, according to ESPN. He fined them $250,000, and coach Bill Belichick $500,000, for spying on an opponent's defensive signals in 2007. He fined the Patriots $1 million, stripped them of two draft choices and suspended quarterback Tom Brady as part of the 2015 "Deflategate" investigation.

News of the charges being dropped came the same day that a coalition of sexual exploitation and sex trafficking survivor networks wrote a letter calling on Goodell to investigate criminal charges against Kraft and if found to be true to strip him of ownership of the Super Bowl champions franchise, according to a letter released by the coalition on Tuesday.

“If the results of [an NFL] investigation show Mr. Kraft to have engaged in the purchase of women for sex, the NFL must banish Mr. Kraft from team ownership because men who purchase others for sex inflict inestimable amounts of human suffering on those they exploit for sex,” the letter reads, which goes on to call for the sports league to “take immediate action, rigorous measures to create a corporate and sport culture that respects others by rejecting all forms of sexual objectification, harassment, assault, and exploitation of women by owners, coaches, players, team personnel, and others associated with the NFL.”

The NFL's media representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment from ABC News.

The allegations against Kraft come three weeks after the Patriots beat the Los Angeles Rams to win the team's sixth Super Bowl title.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of Kraft's then-NFL record $175 million purchase of the Patriots in 1994.

]]>Giants CEO Larry Baer will not be charged for fight with wifehttp://wbch.com/sports/f374c4f056a90bf2757868eb0eaa1869
Wed, 20 Mar 2019 07:33:00 -0500http://wbch.com/sports/f374c4f056a90bf2757868eb0eaa1869Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images(SAN FRANCISCO) -- San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón has declined to press charges against a San Francisco Giants executive who was caught on video in an argument with his wife earlier this month.

Larry Baer, the Giants' CEO, is currently on leave from his position -- a decision he announced in the wake of the video being aired by TMZ. In the video, Baer can be seen arguing with his wife in a public park in San Francisco on March 1 and then attempting to grab a cellphone from her hand.

Baer's wife, Pam, falls out of the chair while clinging to the phone and can be heard screaming for help.

In San Francisco, the district attorney decides on both felony and misdemeanor charges so the decision is final when it comes to possible charges.

Prosecutors could not prove a crime was committed. They looked over evidence, videos, statements from witnesses and comments from those involved and there was not enough to support filing criminal charges, per the district attorney's office.

The Major League Baseball commissioner's office is still looking into the incident and could punish Baer. The league did not comment on the district attorney's decision not to press charges.

"We are holding off commenting until the Commissioner's review is completed," MLB said in a statement to San Francisco ABC station KGO-TV.

San Francisco Mayor London Breed issued a statement on Monday calling for MLB to punish Baer.

"When the incident first occurred involving Larry Baer and his wife, the San Francisco Police Department immediately began an investigation," Breed said in the statement. "That investigation is ongoing, but regardless of the outcome, Major League Baseball needs to send a message that any and all acts of violence against women is unacceptable."

The statement added, "Every little girl, every woman should be able to attend a Giants game with a clear sense of the organization’s values. I share in the call to action by the women who have written the Commissioner calling for greater accountability. There must be a stronger public reaction and response to violence against women in our City and our country."

Baer apologized for losing his temper and said his behavior was "unacceptable."

"Mr. Baer has acknowledged that his behavior was unaccetpable, apologized to the organization and is committed to taking steps to make sure this never happens again," the Giants said in a statement earlier this month. "He has also requested, and the Board has accepted, his request to take personal time away from the Giants beginning today."

Pam blamed falling over on a recent foot injury, though the video appeared to call that into question.

"I would like to clarify the events of today. My husband and I had an argument in public about which we are quite embarrassed," she said in a statement provided to ESPN on March 1. "I took his cell phone. He wanted it back and I did not want to give it back. I started to get up & the chair I was sitting in began to tip. Due to an injury I sustained in my foot 3 days ago, I lost my balance. I did not sustain any injury based on what happened today. Larry & I always have been & still are happily married."

It was not clear when Baer might return to the team. The Giants open the season on March 28 at San Diego.

Larry Baer, the Giants' CEO, is currently on leave from his position -- a decision he announced in the wake of the video being aired by TMZ. In the video, Baer can be seen arguing with his wife in a public park in San Francisco on March 1 and then attempting to grab a cellphone from her hand.

Baer's wife, Pam, falls out of the chair while clinging to the phone and can be heard screaming for help.

In San Francisco, the district attorney decides on both felony and misdemeanor charges so the decision is final when it comes to possible charges.

Prosecutors could not prove a crime was committed. They looked over evidence, videos, statements from witnesses and comments from those involved and there was not enough to support filing criminal charges, per the district attorney's office.

The Major League Baseball commissioner's office is still looking into the incident and could punish Baer. The league did not comment on the district attorney's decision not to press charges.

"We are holding off commenting until the Commissioner's review is completed," MLB said in a statement to San Francisco ABC station KGO-TV.

San Francisco Mayor London Breed issued a statement on Monday calling for MLB to punish Baer.

"When the incident first occurred involving Larry Baer and his wife, the San Francisco Police Department immediately began an investigation," Breed said in the statement. "That investigation is ongoing, but regardless of the outcome, Major League Baseball needs to send a message that any and all acts of violence against women is unacceptable."

The statement added, "Every little girl, every woman should be able to attend a Giants game with a clear sense of the organization’s values. I share in the call to action by the women who have written the Commissioner calling for greater accountability. There must be a stronger public reaction and response to violence against women in our City and our country."

Baer apologized for losing his temper and said his behavior was "unacceptable."

"Mr. Baer has acknowledged that his behavior was unaccetpable, apologized to the organization and is committed to taking steps to make sure this never happens again," the Giants said in a statement earlier this month. "He has also requested, and the Board has accepted, his request to take personal time away from the Giants beginning today."

Pam blamed falling over on a recent foot injury, though the video appeared to call that into question.

"I would like to clarify the events of today. My husband and I had an argument in public about which we are quite embarrassed," she said in a statement provided to ESPN on March 1. "I took his cell phone. He wanted it back and I did not want to give it back. I started to get up & the chair I was sitting in began to tip. Due to an injury I sustained in my foot 3 days ago, I lost my balance. I did not sustain any injury based on what happened today. Larry & I always have been & still are happily married."

It was not clear when Baer might return to the team. The Giants open the season on March 28 at San Diego.

Bryant has released his first book, a young adult novel titled, The Wizenard Series: Training Camp, which follows a group of young male basketball players and their struggling inner-city basketball team.

Kobe tells ABC Radio that the idea for his book came from his love of two things: Harry Potter and basketball.

"We're a big Harry Potter household, but we're also a big sports household," Bryant says. "And there wasn't a story that can combine both of them. That was the original idea behind it."

Although Bryant had award-winning young adult writer Wesley King pen his first project, the former basketball star came up with the characters and its plot. Bryant explains he has an ultimate vision for his new book series.

"This project in particular is something that we believe belongs on the stage," he reveals. "Because of the way it's set... the kind of the arc of the narrative, we believe it has a better presence on the stage. So, we'll see how that goes."

Still, Kobe has his sights set on even bigger projects. However, he knows it's going to be an uphill climb -- even after his Oscar win. The basketball champ says he's not exactly sure what winning an Oscar has done for him beyond giving him some "credibility."

"I'm not just a basketball player trying to dabble into something, but inevitably you still get that a lot," he says. "Like when I say, "OK, I'm coming out with a novel... I kind of get the eye roll a little bit still."

Bryant has released his first book, a young adult novel titled, The Wizenard Series: Training Camp, which follows a group of young male basketball players and their struggling inner-city basketball team.

Kobe tells ABC Radio that the idea for his book came from his love of two things: Harry Potter and basketball.

"We're a big Harry Potter household, but we're also a big sports household," Bryant says. "And there wasn't a story that can combine both of them. That was the original idea behind it."

Although Bryant had award-winning young adult writer Wesley King pen his first project, the former basketball star came up with the characters and its plot. Bryant explains he has an ultimate vision for his new book series.

"This project in particular is something that we believe belongs on the stage," he reveals. "Because of the way it's set... the kind of the arc of the narrative, we believe it has a better presence on the stage. So, we'll see how that goes."

Still, Kobe has his sights set on even bigger projects. However, he knows it's going to be an uphill climb -- even after his Oscar win. The basketball champ says he's not exactly sure what winning an Oscar has done for him beyond giving him some "credibility."

"I'm not just a basketball player trying to dabble into something, but inevitably you still get that a lot," he says. "Like when I say, "OK, I'm coming out with a novel... I kind of get the eye roll a little bit still."

Kraft is facing two misdemeanor counts of soliciting prostitution for allegedly visiting the Orchids of Asia Day Spa in Jupiter, Florida on two occasions earlier this year and paying for sexual favors from the massage parlor’s staff.

He is facing a statutory maximum of one year in jail, though prosecutors typically offer first-time offenders deferred prosecution agreements, which gives them the chance to pay a fine and perform community service, while not admitting fault, according to veteran Florida criminal defense attorneys who spoke with ABC News.

The proposed deferred prosecution agreement would require Kraft to admit that he would have been proven guilty at trial, according to the Wall Street Journal, which first reported news of a proposed deal. The newspaper also reported that the proposed deal would include Kraft taking an educational course on prostitution, submitting to screening for sexually transmitted diseases and perform 100 hours of community service.

Palm Beach County State Attorney Dave Aronberg appeared to confirm the outlines of the Journal's account when he tweeted in response to the newspaper's tweet that..."The offer of a deferred prosecution agreement with several conditions to first time offenders is standard in cases like this."

It was not immediately clear whether Kraft would accept such an offer. None of his three primary defense attorneys immediately responded to a request for comment; nor did Palm Beach County prosecutors. A spokeswoman for the Jupiter Police Department, which conducted the investigation, referred requests for comment to the prosecutor's office.

The Patriots team owner had pleaded not guilty and opted for a non-jury trial, before a judge -- while assembling a powerhouse team of high-profile Florida criminal defense attorneys.

Florida criminal defense attorney Mark O’Mara said that the Kraft deal is best outcome Kraft could hope for short of a dismissal of the charges.

“In a pre-trial diversion, you divert the case away from the criminal justice system into what I’d call a pre-plea probation,” said O’Mara, who won George Zimmerman’s acquittal on murder and manslaughter charges in the fatal 2012 shooting of Trayvon Martin.

This is a variant of a pre-trial diversion. This is … in my opinion, a deferred prosecution agreement is much more informal, more of a letter contract between the prosecution and the defense

“He’s the best deal he can get, but I give kudos to his defense attorneys because they worked out the best deal they could without a complete dismissal. It’s the best of all worlds, because you’re not entering a plea.”

O’Mara said such deals are generally reserved for first-time offenders.

Even with the charges dropped, Kraft could still face discipline from the National Football League (NFL), which has a strict personal conduct policy.

The policy reads, in part, that "[i]t is not enough simply to avoid being found guilty of a crime. We are all held to a higher standard and must conduct ourselves in a way that is responsible, promotes the values of the NFL, and is lawful."

Twenty-five people were charged in the sting at the Jupiter spa, police said. Authorities set up hidden cameras at the spa and, Jupiter Police Detective Andrew Sharp said, there's video evidence of all of the suspects participating in the alleged sexual acts.

Stacey James, a spokeswoman for Kraft, 77, said in a statement at the time that "[w]e categorically deny that Mr. Kraft engaged in any illegal activity. Because it is a judicial matter, we will not be commenting further."

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has punished Kraft's Patriots more severely than any other franchise during his tenure, according to ESPN. He fined them $250,000, and coach Bill Belichick $500,000, for spying on an opponent's defensive signals in 2007. He fined the Patriots $1 million, stripped them of two draft choices and suspended quarterback Tom Brady as part of the 2015 "Deflategate" investigation.

News of the charges being dropped came the same day that a coalition of sexual exploitation and sex trafficking survivor networks wrote a letter calling on Goodell to investigate criminal charges against Kraft and if found to be true to strip him of ownership of the Super Bowl champions franchise, according to a letter released by the coalition on Tuesday.

“If the results of [an NFL] investigation show Mr. Kraft to have engaged in the purchase of women for sex, the NFL must banish Mr. Kraft from team ownership because men who purchase others for sex inflict inestimable amounts of human suffering on those they exploit for sex,” the letter reads, which goes on to call for the sports league to “take immediate action, rigorous measures to create a corporate and sport culture that respects others by rejecting all forms of sexual objectification, harassment, assault, and exploitation of women by owners, coaches, players, team personnel, and others associated with the NFL.”

“The prostitution marketplace is the context in which most sexual exploitation and sex trafficking transpire. The prostitution marketplace encompasses any of the various modes by which prostitution is marketed: strip clubs, massage parlors, ‘escort’ services, Internet-based prostitution websites, brothels, as well as pimp-facilitated, street-level prostitution, and pornography (i.e. – prostitution for mass consumption.)”

The coalition, which includes groups like Breaking the Silence Together, Veronica’s Voice, Freedom From Exploitation, Inc., DIGNITY House and the Survivor Leader Network, cite the NFL’s own Personal Conduct Policy, which describes misconduct as “conduct by anyone in the league that is illegal, violent, dangerous, or irresponsibl[y] put innocent victims at risk, damages the reputation of others in the game, or undercuts public support for the NFL.”

The NFL's media representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment from ABC News.

The allegations against Kraft come three weeks after the Patriots beat the Los Angeles Rams to win the team's sixth Super Bowl title.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of Kraft's then-NFL record $175 million purchase of the Patriots in 1994.

]]>Kevin Winter/Getty Images(PALM BEACH, Fla.) -- Robert Kraft, the owner of the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots, is being offered a deferred prosecution agreement in which he would not face prosecution and not be required to plead guilty to any charges surrounding his visits to a Florida spa in January that was under investigation for sex trafficking and prostitution, a prosecutor in the case announced on Tuesday.

Kraft is facing two misdemeanor counts of soliciting prostitution for allegedly visiting the Orchids of Asia Day Spa in Jupiter, Florida on two occasions earlier this year and paying for sexual favors from the massage parlor’s staff.

He is facing a statutory maximum of one year in jail, though prosecutors typically offer first-time offenders deferred prosecution agreements, which gives them the chance to pay a fine and perform community service, while not admitting fault, according to veteran Florida criminal defense attorneys who spoke with ABC News.

The proposed deferred prosecution agreement would require Kraft to admit that he would have been proven guilty at trial, according to the Wall Street Journal, which first reported news of a proposed deal. The newspaper also reported that the proposed deal would include Kraft taking an educational course on prostitution, submitting to screening for sexually transmitted diseases and perform 100 hours of community service.

Palm Beach County State Attorney Dave Aronberg appeared to confirm the outlines of the Journal's account when he tweeted in response to the newspaper's tweet that..."The offer of a deferred prosecution agreement with several conditions to first time offenders is standard in cases like this."

It was not immediately clear whether Kraft would accept such an offer. None of his three primary defense attorneys immediately responded to a request for comment; nor did Palm Beach County prosecutors. A spokeswoman for the Jupiter Police Department, which conducted the investigation, referred requests for comment to the prosecutor's office.

The Patriots team owner had pleaded not guilty and opted for a non-jury trial, before a judge -- while assembling a powerhouse team of high-profile Florida criminal defense attorneys.

Florida criminal defense attorney Mark O’Mara said that the Kraft deal is best outcome Kraft could hope for short of a dismissal of the charges.

“In a pre-trial diversion, you divert the case away from the criminal justice system into what I’d call a pre-plea probation,” said O’Mara, who won George Zimmerman’s acquittal on murder and manslaughter charges in the fatal 2012 shooting of Trayvon Martin.

This is a variant of a pre-trial diversion. This is … in my opinion, a deferred prosecution agreement is much more informal, more of a letter contract between the prosecution and the defense

“He’s the best deal he can get, but I give kudos to his defense attorneys because they worked out the best deal they could without a complete dismissal. It’s the best of all worlds, because you’re not entering a plea.”

O’Mara said such deals are generally reserved for first-time offenders.

Even with the charges dropped, Kraft could still face discipline from the National Football League (NFL), which has a strict personal conduct policy.

The policy reads, in part, that "[i]t is not enough simply to avoid being found guilty of a crime. We are all held to a higher standard and must conduct ourselves in a way that is responsible, promotes the values of the NFL, and is lawful."

Twenty-five people were charged in the sting at the Jupiter spa, police said. Authorities set up hidden cameras at the spa and, Jupiter Police Detective Andrew Sharp said, there's video evidence of all of the suspects participating in the alleged sexual acts.

Stacey James, a spokeswoman for Kraft, 77, said in a statement at the time that "[w]e categorically deny that Mr. Kraft engaged in any illegal activity. Because it is a judicial matter, we will not be commenting further."

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has punished Kraft's Patriots more severely than any other franchise during his tenure, according to ESPN. He fined them $250,000, and coach Bill Belichick $500,000, for spying on an opponent's defensive signals in 2007. He fined the Patriots $1 million, stripped them of two draft choices and suspended quarterback Tom Brady as part of the 2015 "Deflategate" investigation.

News of the charges being dropped came the same day that a coalition of sexual exploitation and sex trafficking survivor networks wrote a letter calling on Goodell to investigate criminal charges against Kraft and if found to be true to strip him of ownership of the Super Bowl champions franchise, according to a letter released by the coalition on Tuesday.

“If the results of [an NFL] investigation show Mr. Kraft to have engaged in the purchase of women for sex, the NFL must banish Mr. Kraft from team ownership because men who purchase others for sex inflict inestimable amounts of human suffering on those they exploit for sex,” the letter reads, which goes on to call for the sports league to “take immediate action, rigorous measures to create a corporate and sport culture that respects others by rejecting all forms of sexual objectification, harassment, assault, and exploitation of women by owners, coaches, players, team personnel, and others associated with the NFL.”

“The prostitution marketplace is the context in which most sexual exploitation and sex trafficking transpire. The prostitution marketplace encompasses any of the various modes by which prostitution is marketed: strip clubs, massage parlors, ‘escort’ services, Internet-based prostitution websites, brothels, as well as pimp-facilitated, street-level prostitution, and pornography (i.e. – prostitution for mass consumption.)”

The coalition, which includes groups like Breaking the Silence Together, Veronica’s Voice, Freedom From Exploitation, Inc., DIGNITY House and the Survivor Leader Network, cite the NFL’s own Personal Conduct Policy, which describes misconduct as “conduct by anyone in the league that is illegal, violent, dangerous, or irresponsibl[y] put innocent victims at risk, damages the reputation of others in the game, or undercuts public support for the NFL.”

The NFL's media representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment from ABC News.

The allegations against Kraft come three weeks after the Patriots beat the Los Angeles Rams to win the team's sixth Super Bowl title.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of Kraft's then-NFL record $175 million purchase of the Patriots in 1994.

]]>Report: Angels, Mike Trout close to finalizing largest deal in sports historyhttp://wbch.com/sports/387520ed4b05dc0afa5f2793498a80f2
Tue, 19 Mar 2019 10:44:00 -0500http://wbch.com/sports/387520ed4b05dc0afa5f2793498a80f2Allen Kee / ESPN Images(LOS ANGELES) -- The Los Angeles Angels and Mike Trout are said to be close to finalizing an extension that would make the center fielder’s contract the largest one in professional sports history.

Sources tell ESPN the deal would be for 12 years and worth more than $430 million.

If the deal is completed, Trout, 27, will get nearly $36 million a year, besting Zack Greinke's yearly average of $34.4 million with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The total sum of the reported contract is also more than 30 percent larger than Bryce Harper’s $330 million deal with the Philadelphia Phillies and exceeds the contract boxer Canelo Alvarez's has with DAZN by more than $65 million, according to ESPN.

Sources tell ESPN the deal would be for 12 years and worth more than $430 million.

If the deal is completed, Trout, 27, will get nearly $36 million a year, besting Zack Greinke's yearly average of $34.4 million with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The total sum of the reported contract is also more than 30 percent larger than Bryce Harper’s $330 million deal with the Philadelphia Phillies and exceeds the contract boxer Canelo Alvarez's has with DAZN by more than $65 million, according to ESPN.